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The 40 Hour Famine: Do something and be apart of the solution!

The 40 Hour Famine is a beloved charity event run by World Vision. It has now been running for a whopping 40 years! It’s helped supply millions of people, in over 26 countries with clean water, food and shelter.

It’s considered a national event, even a right of passage! It not only promotes change and education but also helps spark a passion for giving back in our younger generations.

The most important thing if taking part in the 40 Hour Famine is to give up something that matters to you. Stuck for ideas? We are here to help you out!

Food:

Originally the famine was about giving up food for 40 hours. The aim was to walk in someone else’s shoes, to try to understand what hunger feels like. This is still the most popular option! But make sure you are prepared. World Vision lists their top tips:

Drink plenty of water, fruit juice or tea. We don’t recommend drinking coffee as it is a stimulant and it will dehydrate you.

Feel free to eat energy sweets (like barley sugars) occasionally – every two to four hours.

Try to take it easy during the 40 Hour Famine weekend. We don’t recommend playing sport or doing too much physical activity while fasting.

When you finish the 40 Hour Famine, ease your way back to normal eating by having something light and healthy, like a salad or fruit.

If you’re diabetic or have a medical condition, we don’t recommend giving up food as it may not be safe, but you can still participate by giving up something like furniture, talking or TV.

Technology:

We all love our phones, computers and televisions but can you live without it for 40 hours? Why not give it a go! Swap the TV for a book and your phone for some time with friends. Use this as a chance to connect with the people and the places around you!

Talking:

We live in a world full of noise and distractions, so why not give up speaking for 40 hours and make your life a little more peaceful. It’s a chance to reconnect with the most important person in your life, you! Take the time to write some letters, listen to music and relax. You’ll feel better for it and you will never take the spoken word for granted again!

Furniture:

Did you know as many as 100 million people in the world are homeless! That means no chairs, sofas or warm comfy beds to sleep in at night! So why not give furniture up for this year’s 40 Hour Famine! It will help you gain a little insight into this human rights crisis. Make it fun, get all your friends together and have a sleep over! Why not pull out your sleeping-bags and have a camp out.

The 40 Hour Famine isn’t meant to be easy, test yourself and give up something YOU care about!

Push through and remember there are people in our world who go without these things on a daily basis, 40 hours is just a blip in comparison!